UK Fungi

A Yorkshire mycologist in Wales

A Yorkshire mycologist in Wales

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 6:35 pm

by Chris Yeates

Noswaith dda bawb
A week or so ago I was privileged to be invited to a friend's birthday celebration. Held over a week in NW Wales; I was there for 3 days. While others walked up Snowdon (and unexpectedly also had to walk down again - no train, too breezy!) I had a mini-foray close to the house where we were staying.

In all I probably spent three and a half hours in the field, mostly in the Coed Pengwern valley near Llan Ffestiniog, part of a NNR. Conditions were extremely dry - the wealth of bryophytes and epiphytic ferns spoke of a site usually kept moist at the very least, they all looked a bit sad. So with said conditions not promising I had to seek out still-damp seepage areas; half the time I spent in an area little more than one or two square metres in extent. It was a superb area notwithstanding, helped by good views of pied flycatcher and the delightful song-flight of a tree pipit . . .

I'm still working through collections but to date I have what appear to be five species new to VC48 (Merioneth):Peronospora potentillae-sterilis on barren strawberryPhomopsis crustosa on holly twigs (see Steve's recent thread)Phomopsis skimmiae on Skimmia japonicaRamularia pratensis on common sorrelRamularia variabilis on foxglove

and two species new to Wales:Septoria cymbalariae on ivy-leaved toadflaxUnguicularia carestiana on Dryopteris sp.

I have searched all the available databases and assume that these do represent 'firsts'; if anyone knows different please let me know. More anon (with some images hopefully)
cheers
Chris